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Calci

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Inhabitants in 1991: 5.504

The municipal territory of Calci is placed at the centre of the Balgraziosa, which slopes towards the Pisana plain, and has an extension of 25,16 square kilometres. Its constitution as municipality goes back to 1867 when the district of the same name was detached from Pisa. In 1884 it was enriched with the district of Montemagno, detached from Vicopisano.

There was news of Calci as far back as 780. the year in which it appeared cited in a document with which the three brothers Gualberto, Ildeberto and Gumprando assigned all their great wealth to the expansion of the Abbey of San Savino. Around the year one thousand the “locus Calcis” (location Calci) was the most important of the valley, while in 1222 it was already fortified. More than once conquered and ransacked, first with the exiling Pisani in 1288, then by troops of Carlo IV in 1369 and finally by the army of the King of Napoli in 1479, it passed together with Pisa under the Fiorentini dominion from the beginning of the XV century. From its life in the Medieval, Calci preserves traces of the parish church in Romanic-Pisano style. Also the celebrated “Certoso” goes back in its original structure to 1366, but shows imposing re-facing from 1600s which makes it into one of the most striking examples of Baroque existing in Toscana. At Calci Pier Bernardo dei Paganelli di Montemagno was born, he became Pope with the name of Eugenio III from 1145 to 1153.

Places to visit:
The Parish Church, extremely ancient Romanic building going back to the XI century. The interior preserves a precious baptismal font sculptured from a single block of marble.
La Certosa di Pisa, situated 1 kilometre from Calci, it is a vast monastic complex founded in 1366, which presents an elegant Baroque façade realised at the end of the 1700. The interior of the church has experienced numerous remodelling affected during the centuries. It conserves admirable works of art by artists of diverse eras. The frescoes of Bernardino Poccetti can be admired in the refectory.

Historical info reproduced upon authorization of Regione Toscana - Dipartimento della Presidenza E Affari Legislativi e Giuridici
Translated by Ann Mountford


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